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The Pinkvilla Review: Ugly
Films are meant to entertain, primarily. Sometimes though, films are also made to tell us something. Something we all know or suspect, be it about ourselves or about the people around us, but refuse to discuss in public or even, with our own selves. Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Ugly’ focuses on the ugliness of each person in a complex film plot, drawing underlying parallels to unaddressed aspects of human nature, artfully.
It would hurt a viewers experience to reveal the film’s entire plot. Suffice it to say that a small girl goes missing from a crowded street in suburban Mumbai, when her father, a struggling actor, steps out for a bit. Her dad by default is a hard as nails senior policeman, one who marries her mother, but doesn’t love his wife. The cop, the actor and the mother are inextricably linked through a common past, long standing grudges & unexpressed angst. In navigating the quagmire of each other’s needs, and greed, the moot point - that of a helpless child being held against her will - is lost. This intense and tumultuous journey reveals the ugly side of each character. There’s greed, manipulation, lies & revenge- most of which emerge from desperate needs.
Ugly does not make for easy viewing on a holiday season. But what it does prove is that neither stars nor big budgets are essential to making a genuinely gripping, good film. Filmed in real locations, with minimal make up and stylization, the film is vintage Anurag- with gritty chase sequences and police interrogation sequences. Laced with linguistic violence and tons of abuse, each character has something significant to say and do. The plot is watertight and the writing, razor sharp. It’s just that no one’s likeable as a character, and there is no relief from the tension. But it’s core argument rings true- even more than the inherent ugliness of its characters at times. I do find the climax faulty, and feel it could have been executed better. In the end, the film makes you think and wonder- about people around you; and that I believe, might have been a purpose set by the filmmaker consciously.
Having said that, if you are fond of good cinema, and like viewing a great story, then catch Ugly. The performances of Ronit Roy, Rahul Bhat & Vineet Singh, in this unforgiving realistic setting will not disappoint you. However, don’t expect laughs, fun and joy. There’s none of that here. Watch it if you are a connoisseur of good cinema, and don’t mind trying out a new, untested flavor once in a while.
Ticket Price Value- 75 per cent.
